The project called for the construction of a 17 mile (28 km) long double-tracked railway from Fort Lawrence on the Bay of Fundy, across the isthmus to Tidnish Dock on the Northumberland Strait. Vessels were to be floated over huge wheeled cradles, which would be lifted by hydraulic presses to the level of the railway. The vessels would then be hauled across the isthmus where, on the other side, vessel and cradle would be lowered into the water until the vessel floated free.

Today, a section of the old marine railbed is now a 3.7-km (2.3-mi.) walking trail from the Tidnish Visitor Centre to Tidnish Dock Provincial Park. Along the way it crosses an historic keystone bridge and a modern 66-m (215-ft.) suspension bridge over the Tidnish River. This picturesque
seaside park also features a picnic
area and a small beach.